Letter by David O’SULLIVAN, EU Ambassador to the US in Washington DC. Thank you Jeanne for your contribution to this important debate. It is very encouraging to see the interest of young people like you, particularly because the impact of this trade agreement will be felt more by your generation than mine. However, there are some elements … More David O’Sullivan: Responding to TTIP Criticisms

Commentary by Luca TOMASELLO Negotiation between the US and the EU with regards to the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) is causing major debate all over Europe. Recently we have seen anti-TTIP protests in Brussels, Berlin and Florence, claiming that the deal is a ‘threat for democracy’. In reality, protests are a key part … More Much Ado About Nothing – We Need TTIP

Commentary by Sarah HARVEY-KELLY “A high level of human health protection shall be ensured in the definition and implementation of all Union policies and activities” – Article 168, Treaty of Lisbon The Eurozone Crisis, Ukraine–Russian tensions, Greek debt, the Refugee Crisis, and possible Brexit. It’s fair to say that EU has seen its fair share … More Is TTIP a Threat to Public Health? An Unanswerable Question…

Commentary by Alberto MANZI One of the main criticisms of TTIP concerns the prospect that Investment State Dispute Settlements (ISDS) will encroach upon the democratic will of the people represented by national governments. However, ISDS allow investors to sue states for violating rules established in treaties like TTIP, a key process if international trading is … More TTIP and the Investment States Dispute Settlements (ISDS)

Analysis by Gabriella ATKINS. TTIP stands for the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership, a deal currently being negotiated between the EU and the US which seeks to reduce or remove barriers to trade and foreign investment. It is unlikely that an agreement will be finalised before 2016, but it is likely that America’s recent Trans-Pacific Partnership … More What is TTIP?

Commentary by Robbie PYBURN If the European Commission is to be believed, the controversial Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) will boost Europe’s economic growth and create much-needed jobs on both sides of the Atlantic. However, behind the spin is a trade agreement that completely disregards the democratic rights of European citizens in favour of … More Corporate Dominance Threatens European Democracy: Why we Must Oppose TTIP

Commentary by Louis VIS ‘A day will come when we shall see those two immense groups, the United States of America and the United States of Europe, stretching out their hands across the sea, exchanging their products, their arts, their works of genius’ (Victor Hugo at the International Peace Congress in Paris, 1849). Although the … More TTIP: Time to Lead by Example or Risk Getting Left Behind

Commentary by Louis VIS Regardless of the numerous benefit (see Part I) a Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) between the European Union (EU) and United States of America (USA) may bring, it seems many people still do not believe in the EU’s powers to secure a positive deal. Before drawing any conclusion lets analyse … More TTIP – An Answer to Critics

Commentary by Jeanne MARTIN The Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) is believed to be the magical cure to the EU’s slowing economic growth: it will not only boost our economies but also reduce unemployment and cut red tape. Amazing. But wait – if this is true, why have more than 3.35 million EU citizens (myself … More TTIP – A Threat to our Democracy and our Strong Social and Environmental Standards